Human beings treat water in many ways: they cook with it, drink it, bathe in it, use it to water plants waiting for them to bear the expected fruit, and even contemplate it to relax. However, many people are still unaware of relevant aspects of water, such as the temperature it must reach to freeze. Thus, due to this lack of knowledge or the doubts that arise around water, certain confusions spread at a social level that is important to clarify. The freezing temperature of the liquid element is one of them, since, for example, it is believed that hot water takes longer to freeze than cold water when reality shows the opposite under certain conditions.
To find out at what temperature water freezes and how long it takes to freeze, at OneHOWTO we recommend that you continue reading this article.
What is the freezing point of water?
There is a generic idea that explains that water freezes when it reaches a temperature below 0 o C. And, although it is true and it is a temperature that can freeze, it is not the only one.
Water can be cooled considerably more before freezing, that is, changing from a liquid to a solid-state, thus acquiring an ice form. Specifically, it can cool down to -12.77 o C, and even in some laboratories, it has been possible to lower the temperature of water to -42 o C without it turning into ice. For this reason, 0 degrees centigrade should be considered only as one more reference in which water can freeze, but in no case as an exclusive value. It is shown that it can remain liquid in lower freezing temperatures before turning to ice. And, if you are wondering at what temperature ice melts, you should know that this process begins when the weather rises to around 32 degrees.
Can saltwater freeze?
If you are wondering if saltwater freezes, the answer is yes, saltwater can freeze, but the process of turning it into a solid-state (ice) requires much more time compared to natural water. We point out that liquids that contain salt in their composition take longer to freeze. The explanation is simple: sodium chloride, that is, common salt, reduces evaporation and requires a temperature equal to or less than -6 orC to freeze. Therefore, seawater, being salty, needs a lower temperature than fresh water for its freezing. Depending on the salinity level, the liquid to solid conversion process will require more or less temperature. Taking seawater as a reference, whose salinity is often 35 grams/liter, the freezing process would begin at -2 o C. Therefore, if you see ice in the sea, it means that the water is very cold. It can also be said that you will never be able to see ice at the bottom of the sea, it is only possible to see it floating on the surface. Why? Due to the particular behavior of water.
In water, there is an anomalous relationship between density and temperature. This happens because water reaches a maximum density at 4 o C, not at 0 o C, that is, at 4 o C it has a higher density than ice itself. That is why, having less density, ice floats and cannot be found at the bottom of the sea. Due to the complex relationship between the density and the temperature of the water, it remains in a liquid state at the bottom of the sea, and layers of ice can form on the surface. The same thing happens in ponds and lakes that freeze during the winter months, even though certain living things live at the bottom of them.
How long does it take for water to freeze?
At what temperature does fresh or saltwater freeze? To determine how long it takes for water to freeze, you have to consider three main factors that it depends on: the ambient temperature, how cold it gets, and the amount of water. For example, if you have two glasses with a little water inside, the one that contains the least amount will be the first to freeze. On the other hand, if you fill a glass with water that has previously been in the fridge and another glass with hotter tap water, it will be the cold water in the first glass that will freeze first.
However, under certain circumstances, hot water freezes before cold water due to the so-called Mpemba effect. The arguments that explain this phenomenon are the following :
- Hot water evaporates more quickly, thus reducing the remaining volume to be frozen.
- Creation of a layer of frost in the cold water with an insulating effect.
- Different amounts of dissolved gases in cold water compared to hot water.
You should also bear in mind that water freezes faster if the ambient temperature is lower: the process is not the same at -30 o C as it is at -5 o C. Another curious fact is how long a bottle of water needs to be stored in the freezer to freeze completely: it will take between 30 minutes and two hours.
During the cold months, it is also common for the water in the pipes to freeze due to the low temperatures outside. For this reason, at OneHOWTO we recommend this article on How to defrost pipes. Keeping them in perfect condition is essential!
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